When the microphones are off and the cameras stop rolling, what happens in the world of sports commentary? There happens a change of event that sometimes spikes a long tale of controversies. Enters to the frame, are Stephen A. Smith and Marcellus Wiley, two titans locked in a battle of words and ethics. While Smith is a prominent figure on ESPN’s First Take, ex-NFL Wiley is currently an analyst with Fox Sports.

They have been recently joined in by a spat over a former colleague’s disposal that came after Smith disclosed the reason. He clarified that he simply didn’t enjoy working with him, which somehow led to his co-host’s removal from the show.

Stephen A. Smith tackling the reproach first-hand

The controversy began when Smith admitted on the “Joe Budden Podcast” that he played a role in removing Max Kellerman from the show. Responding to this, Wiley took to his podcast “More to It with Marcellus Wiley”, to criticize Smith’s treatment of Kellerman. He accused Smith of being hypocritical for sympathizing with Shannon Sharpe’s departure from FS1’s “Undisputed” while not showing the same for Kellerman. Wiley also challenged Smith’s claim that Kellerman’s exit was due to declining ratings.

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Despite Wiley’s strong words and ethical questions, Smith chose not to retaliate. Instead, he responded on “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” Smith said, “To be in the year 2023 and to accuse a black man of being scared of the intelligence of another black man is just one of the saddest things you could possibly do. I’m not mad, I’m not hurt, it was disappointing to hear but for all of y’all looking for some kind of shade or whatever we ain’t going to be a hypocrite.”

Furthermore, clarifying his stance, Smith added, “There was never ever ever a single day when that brother was not kind to me, that he was not respectful to me, that he was not decent to me and just because I disagree with what he said doesn’t mean that I’m going to clap back at him and offend him.”

The ‘Real’ behind the scenes

Max Kellerman was the co-host of “First Take” for five years, and he left the show in September 2021. Kellerman was one of some 20 lay-offs by ESPN over the summer to downsize their workforce. The left-off came as the network was instigating some changes in the casting of the show, and Max Kellerman was one of those to depart.

Marcellus Wiley, amidst all the shake-ups, accused Smith of being hypocritical for not showing support for Kellerman. He firmly questioned Stephen A. Smith’s claim that Kellerman’s exit was due to declining ratings, pointing out that the show’s ratings had not dropped. Marcellus believed that Max Kellerman’s disposal was an enforced quit as he didn’t conform to the specific role Smith wanted him to play.

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As convincing as it may seem, the social media feuds can quickly escalate, Smith’s refusal to ‘clap back’ at Wiley is a refreshing change. It shows maturity and professionalism which are often lacking in public disagreements. While the controversy may have scrutinized Smith, his response has shown that he is more interested in maintaining relationships than in winning arguments. While the dust settles on this disagreement, one thing is clear – in the world of sports commentary, respect and understanding can go a long way in resolving conflicts.

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